Out of production reference turntables

Agree on the Goldmund.....fantastic table. The "syrupiness" can be tamed by putting it on a piece of granite/slate or a concrete floor. And I think a lot of the flavor ascribed to the table was actually due to the T3F arm, which I've heard be decimated by a Naim Aro and an SME IV.

Only heard a Rockport briefly and thought it excellent but tuneless. Never heard the Forsell.

The Oracle is OK, but doesn't belong in the conversation.

Best,

Bob

I should perhaps clarify "tuneless." In hindsight, it's a bit over the top...

When I heard the Rockport it SOUNDED fantastic. It was wonderfully neutral, even, extended, and stable. But it did not separate musical lines as well as the Goldmund--on records I've engineered and produced, it was more difficult to separate, for example, the bass guitar from the drums than it was on the Goldmund. The Rockport did a better job of separating them in space.

The Goldmund, for me, remains the very best turntable I've heard. I just wish I could afford one.

Oh, Mike--ad hominem comments are always fun, but really, they say more about the speaker....

Best,

Bob

Mike--

Fair points all. "Tuneless" was not one of my better efforts at diction!

Gotta agree on "they definitely have a particular perspective on things..." But then, everyone does... n'est-ce pas? And no, can't agree on ad hominems being justified....

Anyway, the Rockport I've heard belongs to a family friend in northern NJ. When I've heard it, the system (if I'm remembering right) was the Rockport, a Lyra Parnassus , Aesthetix Io phono preamp (among others), Levinson something or other mono's (20.6?), and more speakers than you could shake a stick at--Watt/Puppy, Sonus Faber Extremas, and so on. (I liked the Extremas the most, FWIW)

My take on the system as a whole remains the same--brilliant sonics, but not as "engaging" as others I've heard. Definitely the lowest noise floor of any TT I've heard. Substituting a Roksan TMS raised the noise floor, and diminished the sense of space and spatial separation, but improved the "engagement" factor. Granted, different arms and a different Parnassus. The TMS just sounded more....propulsive, if that makes any sense. The TMS also made it easier to tell if the players were having fun, playing together, etc. Why? I have no idea, esp. since the Rockport was clearly resolving more info.

In any event, back on thread, I'd say either the Rockport or the Goldmund would be a worthy reference table. Haven't heard the Forsell, so can't comment. And I stand by my remark on the Oracle--having owned one, it doesn't belong in the conversation.

Best,

Bob